


See them fall

by RobronRainbows



Category: robron
Genre: Hugs, Liv - Freeform, Love, M/M, Robert at the Mill, Robert missing, aaron and Robert talking about Rebecca, concerned Aaron, drunk, mention of Rebecca taking advantage of Robert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2017-10-15
Packaged: 2019-01-17 18:48:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12371835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobronRainbows/pseuds/RobronRainbows
Summary: Robert's missing and Aaron helps look for him.





	See them fall

Aaron was having a shit morning. Everything was going badly. He’d burnt his toast again, spilled juice down his clean white t-shirt and some how shut his finger in the front door as he closed it. 

He walked into the café to get some breakfast that wasn’t burnt when he saw vic and Adam. Vic’s eyes were red a puffy as Adam hugged her into his side. 

“Hey. Vic, what’s wrong?”

Both Adam and Vic looked up and then awkwardly away. 

“It’s about Robert.” Adam said softly.

Aaron felt his heart beat fast in his chest. “What about him?”

“He’s gone.” Vic said sadly. 

“What do you mean gone?.” The word ‘gone’ to Aaron could mean 100 different things. 

“He just disappeared and no one knows where he is.”

Aaron shook his head “he’s probably in some swanky hotel somewhere getting room service. 

“He left in the middle of the night, no wallet, no car! He gone without a trace. 4 days he’s been gone. I checked with his bank, he hadn’t used his account.” She started to sob. “Something’s happened to him, I know it has.”

Aaron slowly sat down. “4 day?” He said slowly. 

“Yeah.” Adam said as Vic didn’t answer. 

“Has he got his phone?”

“I think so” Vic sniffed “it’s turned off though.” 

Aaron sat back and pulled his phone from his pocket. “I’ll try him.” He founded Roberts number and pressed call. 

Vic was going out of her mind. “I can’t lose him, I can’t.” She leant into Adam and looked at Aaron. “Anything?."

“No, nothing.” Aaron tapped his phone on his knee. “Why would he just leave. How was he, was he alright?”

Adam frowned. “Yeah I think so.”

Aaron knew he hadn’t been himself. He’d seen him a couple of times lately around the village and he’d always looked tired, pale and just not his usual self. 

“I’m gunna go home. Make sure he doesn’t come back and no ones there.” Vic said as she got up and left the café. 

Adam looked around “mate, there’s something I should tell you.”

“What?”

The day Robert left. I saw him at the scrap yard.”

Aaron looked confused “and?”

“And he was a mess. He was crying when I saw him. He tried to hide it but I saw him.”

Aaron felt his stomach drop. The thought of Robert being upset was something Aaron always struggled with. 

“He asked me for help. Said he was in in a bad way.”

“In what way?”

“He said….he said…”

“What Adam!”

“That he couldn’t do it any longer.”

Aaron frowned. “Do what?”

“Any of it.”

Aaron felt scared. “What?”

Adam sank in the leather sofa. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault he’s left.”

“Aaron, he’s my wife’s sister and he was asking me for help, he’s Robert Sugden and he was asking for help and I walked away from him.”

Aaron felt dizzy. “I need to find him.”

 

 

Aaron paced round the Mill in a state of worry. 

“Afternoon.” Liv stormed in, slinging her bag on the sofa as she walked into the kitchen. “I’m pooped.”

Aaron hardly noticed her coming in. “What?” He tried to focus on what she was saying. 

“I’m poo… what’s wrong with you, you look awful. Your not ill are you, I can’t get a cold for my school trip next week.”

“No I’m not.”

Liv sat down at the table “so…what’s the face for then?”

“It’s Robert.”

“What’s he done now?”

“He’s gone missing.”

Liv frowned “since when?”

“About 4 days ago. No ones seen him.”

Liv looked to the side, squinting her eyes in thought “I saw him yesterday.”

“What!” Aaron’s eyes widened “where?”

“By the river.”

“What on the bridge”

“Yeah.” She nodded “he was drunk.”

Aaron sighed. “Did you speak to him?”

“Not really. I ask him if he was alright and he said yeah. But he was definitely drunk.”

“Have you seen him since?”

“Nope.”

Aaron walked to the door. “Hey, you can get your own tea can’t you, I have to go see Vic.”

“Yeah whatever, we got a pizza in the freezer don’t we?”

“Yeah.” And with that Aaron left. 

 

Adam answered the door. 

“Liv saw him yesterday.”

Vic voice beamed from the hall way. “What!”

“Liv said he was on the bridge over the river. She said he was drunk.”

“Thank god. Maybe he’s around here somewhere.” She smiled. “We need to search again.” 

Before the men could say otherwise, Vic had her shoes and coat on. 

 

They all went their separate ways and spread out over the village. Aaron was trying his best to pretend like he was fine. Something inside him just needed to know Robert was alright. 

As Aaron walked through the grave yard a woman’s voice called him. He turned round quickly to see Rebecca standing there. 

“Alright” Aaron mumbled. 

“Have you seen Robert” she asked. 

“No, no one has. Why?”

“He just hasn’t been at work for a few days”

“Work! You mean the scrap yard or up your place. You know doesn’t actually work for you!”

Rebecca just sighed. 

Aaron looked at her bump “when’s it due?”

“2 weeks.”

“Right.” Aaron felt sick. 

“That’s why I wanted him, we have an appointment to get to.”

“Well he’s not around so…” 

“I guess I'll just go on my own then.”

“Guess so.” Aaron tried his best not to sound smug about it. 

“Call me if you see him.”

“Absolutely.” He gave a fake smile and walked away. 

 

Adam and Aaron where at the scrap yard. 

“Where’s Vic?” Aaron asked as he sat at his desk. 

“She’s not giving up.” 

“It’s dark.” Aaron said concerned. 

“Yeah well, you know Vic.”

Adam felt defeated. He just wanted Robert found so Vic could settle her mind. 

“Listen, I’ve gotta get back to Liv. Call me if you find him.”

Adam nodded. “Sure.”

 

Aaron slowly walked through the front door of the Mill. 

“Aaron! There you are.” Liv said loudly. 

“What’s wrong. I’m sorry it’s late.”

She waved her hand about. “It’s Robert.”

Aaron shook his head. “What about him?”

Liv pointed upstairs “he’s up there.”

Aaron look up towards the top of the stair case.

“I saw him on the bridge again, he was a mess Aaron. Crying, freezing and I’m not sure but..”

“What?”

“He looked like he was on something. I’m really sorry but I couldn’t just leave him there.”

“No..no you did the right thing.”

“He’s having a shower. I told him he could.”

“Right” Aaron felt nervous but also relieved. 

Aaron went to go up the stairs but Liv grabbed his arm. “He was saying loads of weird stuff Aaron.”

“How’d you mean.”

“Like how he…he didn’t want to live any more.”

Aaron felt his heart drop.

“It’s alright. He just a little confused.” 

Liv knew Aaron was just trying to protect her. She knew Robert and she knew he was definitely not okay.”

 

Aaron was standing outside his bedroom. He could hear he shower still running. He didn’t know what to do, or what to say. It was strange because it was his husband but he felt like they were a little different now. 

He heard the shower being turned off and the door sliding open. He opened the door and walked into the bedroom. He didn’t want to startle Robert so he made sure Robert knew he was there. 

“Robert?”

There was a silence before Robert replied. “Hey.”

Robert walked out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist. He looked scared. Like a rabbit in the head lights. 

Aaron could see his awkwardness “it’s alright Robert. It’s fine. Here.” Aaron place some clean clothes on the bed. Some of Aaron’s joggers and a t-shirt. “Liv mentioned your clothes were dirty, so… put these on.”

Robert didn’t know what to say. He felt embarrassed and lost at the same time. “Thanks.” He said softly. 

Aaron smiled. “No problem. I’ll be down stairs.” 

“Aaron.”

“Yeah?”

Robert had his eyes fixed on Aaron’s. “I don’t want the baby.”

Aaron sighed. “It’s ok. It’s alright to love it, it’s your little baby boy.”

“Don’t say it like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like it’s a good thing.”

Aaron moved a couple of steps closer. “It’s your son, Robert.”

“It something that’s made me and you fall apart. I hate it.”

Aaron closed his eyes. He just wanted this to all be different, he wanted his husband back, he wanted to feel the closeness between them again. The feeling of being safe and happy. 

“That child is not to blame. It’s not his fault.”

“I know that.”

“Well then, you can’t hate it.”

“You do!”

Aaron felt his chest rise and fall as he instantly felt bad. “I don’t.”

“That’s what you said, you said you already hate it.”

“I…Robert it’s different now.”

“How?”

Aaron took a deep breath in and sat on the edge of the bed. “Robert I was in a different place in my head. It was all messed up and confusing for me. I’ve sorted it out now.”

“So you’re over me.”

Aaron almost laughed. “Over you!”

Robert looked at the ground. “Are you?” He said softly. 

Aaron got up and walked towards him. He was only a foot away as he lightly wrapped his hand around Roberts wrist. “Never.” His voice was a whisper. Robert’s eyes shot to his. 

“Aaron..”

Aaron pulled away and sat back down on the bed. “Robert there is one thing that won’t change and that’s your child. It’s your child and you need to be a good dad.”

“I can’t.” Roberts voice was breaking. “How can I. I’m useless at looking after people, caring. Look at you, I love you more then anything else in the world and I can’t even do right by you. What chance has my own son got. He’ll hate me, Just like I hated my dad.”

“Robert you’re nothing like your dad, nothing.”

“Maybe I am.”

Robert started to feel a shiver. His wet skin had dried and goosebumps were appearing on his chest and arms. 

Aaron noticed and reached for the clothes he’d put on the bed for him. 

“Here, put these on.”

“Thanks.” Robert took the clothes and went into the bathroom, closing the door slightly. 

A minute later he pulled the door open and gave a half smile. “I’ll wash them and give them back.”

Aaron nodded. “It’s fine.”

Aaron pulled his phone from his jeans pocket. 

“What you doing?”

“Calling Vic?”

“No don’t. Not yet please. I bet she’s going metal.”

“Yeah, she’s thinks your dead in a ditch somewhere.”

“Just give me half an hour, please.”

“Why?”

“I just…..i can’t deal with her right now.”

“She’s your little sister. She’s worried out of her mind.”

“Yeah and she’ll be on and on at me for hours.”

Aaron gave him a knowing ‘you’re an idiot’ look and put his phone down. 

“Fine. Half an hour.”

There was a silence before Robert sat down next to Aaron. 

“Saw Rebecca earlier.”

Robert played with the seem of his t-shirt. “What she say?”

“She was looking for you.”

“Why?”

“She said she had an appointment. She said you’d be there.”

“Right.”

Aaron looked at him. “Was it a scan?”

“Yeah, a check up.”

Robert got up and paced the room. “I don’t want this.”

“Well it’s your own doing.”

“What?”

“The baby, you did it.”

“I was drunk.”

“Not drunk enough to not have sex with her!”

“I was hurt!” Robert felt angry. “I was hurting and she knew that, she knew I loved you, she knew!”

Aaron could see the tears in Roberts eyes. “I know.” He said softly. “But you have to take responsibility.”

“And what about Rebecca, she was sober, she was the one who should have walked away, whatever I was saying. She had sex with me when I was drink and upset. If I’d of the done the same to her I’d be known as a monster. But just because she’s a woman, then it’s ok is it.”

Aaron hadn’t heard these feeling of Roberts before. “You saying she forced you.”

Robert saw the hurt on Aaron’s face. “No…no I’m… she knew I wasn’t in my right mind. She knew how I felt about you and she should have walked away, but she didn’t she slept with a drunk person who if they weren’t drink they would never have done it. Aaron I wasn’t in my right mind. If she, SHE had of been drunk and I had sex with her she could've have me arrested.”

Robert has tears running down his face. “I don’t want this baby. It’s not that I don’t want kids, I do, but with you! I want to be a good dad but I don’t want to be connected to her for the rest of my life, I don’t want to be anywhere near her but I have to now, forever and it makes me angry all the time. It’s there just under the surface, making me hate everyone and everything. Especially myself.”

Aaron slowly got up. He walked to Robert and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. Robert sank into the feeling. 

“I’m so sorry Aaron. I’m sorry for everything.”

Aaron could feel Robert shaking. Roberts hands rested on Aaron’s waist. “I love you so much and I’ll never forget how amazing we had it for a while. How perfect it all was. Thank you for that.” Roberts said onto Aaron’s neck. He could feel the warmth radiating into his skin as he closed his eyes to try and keep the feeling for as long as possible. 

Aaron hands squeezed Robert’s shoulders and back. “I love you too.” He pushed his face into Roberts neck. “You’re a good man Robert.” Aaron could fell Robert heart beat against his skin. It was so familiar to him. “I miss this Robert.”

Robert smiled “me too.” He pulled Aaron’s body close to him. “You’ll always be the love of my life. I know this won’t work anymore but I’ll never love anyone as much as I love you.” 

“It’s unconditional.” Aaron whispered. “Couldn’t stop if I tried.”

It was a strange sense of peace as they both felt so loved but they knew they couldn’t be together.

“One day.” Aaron said quietly. 

Robert squeezed him even tighter. “It’s all that keeps me going.”

Aaron could’ve stayed like this all night. Just being in Roberts space, feeling the curves of his body against his own. It was where he belonged. 

They pulled apart when they heard Liv call up the stairs. Then they heard Vic voice. 

Robert took a deep breath “right. Time to face the music then.”

Aaron took hold of his hands. “You just need to be the better person. Rebecca did this to you and you need to be there for your son but that doesn’t mean she gets away with it. It’s your son. He’s yours and I think this might be a gift. You keep him as close to you as possible. He’s a part of you which means he’s going to be amazing. Make him proud.”

Robert couldn’t have loved Aaron more. In that moment it all made sense. He would be the best person he could be, he’d make his family, his son and Aaron proud. He’d get his family back one day and Aaron was all he needed to make him realise that.


End file.
